Shelving for displaying merchandise in department stores is commonly made from a suitable transparent plastic, such as acrylic. A typical unit of the type with which the present invention is intended to be used has a support structure or frame with vertical support members to which individual shelves are connected. Each individual shelf is commonly formed, molded, or glued into a three-dimensional shape of a desired width and length from panels of a suitable transparent plastic.
The three-dimensional shape of the shelf is commonly a U-shaped configuration with a horizontal base, a vertical lip at the front of the shelf and a vertical wall at the back of the shelf; or an L-shaped configuration with a horizontal base and either a vertical lip at the front of the shelf or a vertical wall at the back of the shelf. The three-dimensional shape of the shelf is advantageous in retaining merchandise on the shelf, and desirably strengthens the shelf to support the merchandise.
The three-dimensional shelves are assembled within the support structure, or frame, and are supported in spaced parallel relation to each other by gluing, or mechanically fastening the shelves to the support structure to form a display fixture. Alternatively, the shelves may be supported in spaced parallel relation to each other within the support structure by a pair of rods beneath each shelf. The rods are usually formed from tubular metal extending between and connected to the vertical support members.
Shelving of this type is generally satisfactory from a utilitarian standpoint, but the three-dimensional shelves cannot be broken down for shipping and the consequent expense of freight when shipping the shelving over long distances is unsatisfactory to the point that nationwide distribution of display shelving is economically impracticable.